


what happens when you try to kill yourself but get sucked into another universe instead

by Her11



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Not Canon Compliant, Shy OFC, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, antisocial personality, talk about suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-11-17 17:30:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18103151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Her11/pseuds/Her11
Summary: One minute Kelly Dunce was sitting in her apartment contemplating committing suicide, the next she was lying on the floor of what looked like a laboratory staring up at a bunch of strangers. Then she finds out she's not actually in her own dimension and on top of that superheroes exist, and she's currently living with them. Oh, and did she forget to mention some metal armed dude keeps touching her?!Now she has to figure out how to get home while avoiding a certain muscle-bound, incredibly hot, dark-haired, and blue-eyed super soldier with a metal arm.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all this is my SECOND fanfic so please enjoy  
> I LOVE COMMENTS SO PLEASE SEND THEM!!!!  
> I also appreciate Kudos, bookmarks, and hits.  
> If there are any trigger warnings they will be at the bottom.  
> Don't like, don't read.  
> The only thing I own is Kelly.

I was hallucinating that was the only explanation that could explain this. It must have been the pills though I didn’t remember taking them. I thought I had put them back in the cupboard and decided to take them maybe tomorrow. There’s no hurry in killing oneself. What’s one more day in the grand scheme of things. But I must have changed my mind and taken the pills….

How else would I explain why I was sprawled on the floor of an unfamiliar room in my PJs and fuzzy socks with three men standing around staring down at me. My brain immediately started cataloging things about them. The first was short for a man, around 5’8” if my guess was accurate (Which it usually was). He had dark, almost black hair, with silver on the sides at his temples. A very distinguished goatee, and crinkles around his eyes. He was built in a stocky sense definitely sturdy and muscular without being over the top. The next man had brown hair that fell into his eyes and wore glasses. His build was on the lean side and he was taller than the first man by a few inches. He was around 5’11, but other than that he was non-descript and not someone I would pick out in a crowd. The third man was also stocky like the first but much more built, especially in his arms and shoulders. He had blond, crew cut hair and had the bluest eyes. He wore a tank top and there was a blackguard of some sort on his forearm.

My mind was out doing itself with the highly detailed hallucination that was surrounding me. My brain had even created a complete environment around me. I saw metal tables with computers and tablets all over them. Machines and tools I didn’t recognize or think could exist. There wasn’t much paper or wood in the room. But there was plenty of glass and metal. It was very shique and looked hi-tech like a sci-fi film. Not that I watched those. They were stupid. No facts to them at all. I had always liked facts; they made so much more sense than people or life ever had. For example, dying was a fact, everyone did it so I could trust it. It was concrete unlike love, faith, or any of that wishy-washy stuff. But other people didn’t like facts they preferred that wishy-washy stuff instead. Maybe that was why I had never made friends as a child, or maybe it was because I was painfully shy.

“Umm is anyone going to say anything about the fact that Tony was messing with something he shouldn’t have and the result is a woman lying on the floor of his lab?” The third person spoke. He had a baritone voice, but I couldn’t tell what the intonation of his voice was. I was always so bad about that. People were so confusing, I could never figure out why they were saying what they were saying. I heard the words clearly enough but the subtleties of tone were lost on me.

“Hey, it wasn’t just me! Bruce did it too.” That was the first guy speaking as he crossed his arms over his chest. He sounded….maybe upset but no that wasn’t quite right, Ugh! people. This was why I didn’t interact with them they were soo confusing.

“Leave me out of it. This was your idea I was just making sure you got the calculations right and didn’t blow us all up.” Ok, the second guy said that, and put his hands in the air in a-don’t-shoot-me-pose too.

The first guy, I was going to refer to him as goatee man, less confusing for my brain that way, grumbled “traitor”

Another voice spoke up from beyond the group sounding angry.

“Anthony Edward Stark what the heck did you do! And don’t you dare deny it I felt the whole tower move. What did you blow up?!”

His yelling startled me, causing my whole body to freeze up and shrink in on itself. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. Even hallucinations were scary when they yelled.

Goatee man flew up his hands “why does everyone think I blew something up!?” he exclaimed turning and walking away from me a few steps. He was also yelling making me clutch even tighter into myself.

The first man spoke up again “Because you do on a regular basis.” At least he sounded calm.

“Tony…” The man that just entered spoke, his voice was much quieter and sounded more controlled than his yelling “Why is there a woman on the floor of your lab?”

Ok, this whole hallucination was getting a little out of hand. Why were people yelling in it and who were these people anyways. They didn’t look like anyone I recognized, but then again that wasn’t saying much. I didn’t have any friends or even acquaintances. I didn’t have any family that I talked to either so there was no one to miss me. I guess my brain wanted me to have people around before I died. Which was kinda weird but I could roll with it.

I leaned my head down to rub my eyes against my knees. As fun as this hallucination was, I was ready for it to be over and my brain to stop messing with me. I was supposed to be dying not having weird, fantastical dreams, involving strange men.

One of the said men had gotten waaaaay too close for comfort It was the newest guy, he was big, blond with blue eyes and crouching right next to me. This was not an ok hallucination anymore. This was becoming more of a nightmare. People didn’t get this close to me, ever. Especially not large attractive men.

“Are you alright ma’am?” he asked.

I wasn’t sure how to reply. I mean he wasn’t real so there really was no need to, and I was technically in the midst of dying. I better stick with the facts.

“you’re a hallucination so you don’t really need to know, but since you asked I’m currently dying,” I told him as calmly and coolly as I could.

His whole face scrunched up at my statement. He looked…. Confused? Yea that was definitely the face of confusion.

“What do you mean?” He said slowly. Looking up at the other three guys in the room.

“Wait,” the goatee man spoke up. “You think Steve is a hallucination, haven’t you heard that the cap came out of the ice years ago?”

Now it was my turn to look confused. What the hell was he talking about?

“I don’t understand. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I've never heard anyone by the name of Cap nor what coming out if the ice means. You’re all just apparitions that my brain created.” I said.

The goateed man laughed then, it sounded loud after the relative quiet and I flinched at the sound.

The man crouching beside me looked up at goatee man and said: “stop it, Tony, you’re being rude.”

The goatee man continued to guffaw. It took him about a minute to get control of his breathing. “Steve she doesn’t recognize any of us. She doesn’t know who we are.” He said as he gasped for air.

“Yes, I do,” I said affronted. “You’re my hallucinations now would the lot of you shut up so I can die in peace now. And you big blondie back up, you’re in my bubble, and I don’t take kindly to people being in my bubble even If you aren’t real.”

“You're serious. You really believe we are all just figments of your imagination.” The nondescript man with the glasses spoke up, he had seemed to disappear into the shadows so I had forgotten he was still in the room, or, more likely, my brain had caused him to disappear and then recreated him as needed.

“I’m always serious,” I responded to the one point I could factually answer rather than telling them all once again that they aren’t real. They wouldn’t believe me anyway.

Goatee man had stopped giggling at this point and moved towards me to join big blondie, kneeling on the floor beside me.

“Miss what’s your name?” He asked.

At least this was a question that had a very clear answer to it, so it was easy.  
“My name is Kelly Lilian Dunce,” I said.

“Nice to meet you, Kelly, I’m Steve, Steve Rogers. This is Tony Stark, that man over there is Clint Barton, and last but not least is Bruce Banner.” Big blondie, now Steve, said to me as he gestured around at the different men. The bespectacled one was Bruce, the muscle dude with the armband was named Clint, and Goatee man was Tony.

There was a long pause and I realized belatedly that they expected me to either react or say something. “Nice to meet you?” I meant it to be a statement but it came out more as a question. I didn’t do social niceties, I didn’t do social interaction period. It was all so so so exhausting.

“Ok, I’m gonna just tell you now that we're not hallucinations. The four of us are real. We’re not a delusion.” Tony said as he made a circling motion with his hands.

I shook my head emphatically. “Of course you are. How do you explain all of this?” I said as I pointed around the room.

“You’re here because Tony did something magical with his tech, causing a portal like thing to open up and for you to fall through it and that’s about it,” Clint spoke up from where he had moved to lean against the wall with his arms crossed and his leg bent so his left foot lay flat against the wall, ready for easy push off.

I looked at him; then around at the other three men waiting for one of them to start laughing at the obvious lie that Clint had just said, but everyone looked dead serious.

“Hey” Tony replied. “It wasn’t magic it was a concentrated effort to see if there would be a way for us to study the time continuum as an unbiased third party. We could learn so much, and this way we wouldn’t have to go to Strange for all of our space-time continuum needs; you know how irritating and difficult he can be.”

“You only think he’s difficult because you two have never gotten along. Your ego always gets in the way.” Bruce responded with an accompanying eye roll.

“My ego!? What about his! He’s a Goddamn Prick with a stick up his butt so large I don’t know how he stands; let alone walks.” Tony shot back.

“Enough, this is not getting us anywhere. Tony, you can complain about Dr. Strange another time. Kelly, I’m so sorry that you have been inconvenienced by all of this. Let’s see if we can get you home.” Where do you live?” Steve asked.

That was a question I could answer. “Apartment number 1208, 200 Park Avenue, Manhatten, New York.” I recited.

“That can’t be right,” Steve replied scrunching his face up. “That’s where you are now.”

“Of course it is. I’m still in my apartment, hallucinating. I have stated this fact multiple times.” I said starting to grow irritated with my brain for keeping this going so long. I wanted to die, not talk to people; real or not.

“Actually she’s might be telling the truth. We don’t really know where the portal opened up on the other side. It could have been somewhere on our planet or any other place in the universe. It could have been from another time, maybe even another dimension, we can’t be sure.” Bruce replied, pushing his spectacles up his nose and moving to a computer beside a large machine with a spinning disc on top.

I was getting fed up with these weird conversations and being in an environment created by my brain. I stood up wobbling a little when I realized my left ankle didn’t want to support my weight. I would have fallen forward onto my face if Steve hadn’t reached his arm out to steady me. I flinched at the contact then looked at him in shock. He was touching me and I could feel it. It was one thing to see, hear, and even smell a hallucination; it was another thing entirely to touch it. But he felt so real. The heat from his skin, the texture of his fingers and hand where they gripped my arm.

He couldn’t be real he just couldn’t and if he was…… I didn’t even want to think about what that would entail. I violently shook off his hold, causing him to let go and me to lose balance again this time falling backward. I was again saved from a tumble, this time by strong arm wrapping around me from behind. I froze. No one touched me, let alone held me. I went into full-blown panic mode. I didn’t yell or scream or anything, but my whole body began to shake uncontrollably, and my brain seemed to leave my body so all I could do was vibrate.  
I don’t think I blacked out but I don’t really remember how I ended up sitting on the floor again with my head between my knees. The next conscious thing I remembered was Steve calling my name very gently.

“Kelly? Kelly, can you hear me? Your ankle looks like it’s sprained. Bruce went to go get a brace and bandages so we can wrap it. Kelly? Are you listening to me? Can you hear me?”

I nodded my head weakly as the shudders subsided and my brain reconnected fully with my body.

“I’m fine, it must be the pills I took, part of the dying process you know,” I mumbled.

“Kelly you’re not dying. FRIDAY did a scan while you were in the midst of your panic attack. Everything is normal except for the sprained ankle.” He answered.

“What the hell are you talking about? I don’t understand any of this. You can’t be real, you just can’t be.” I cried, my body began to shake again.

“Shhh shhh it’s ok Kelly, everything is going to be ok. We’re going to get you home, I swear it. But right now I need you to take deep breaths for me.” Steve said calmly. He reached a hand out to touch me but stopped when I flinched away from it before he could contact my skin. “Kelly breathe with me. Watch how I breathe and match it. Can you do that?”

I nodded shakily. His voice, and what he was asking me to do were so much better than thinking about the fact that this wasn’t a hallucination. That these people were real and I was God knows where with a bunch of strangers. No, I wasn't going to think about that. I was going to focus on breathing, just breathing. Filling my lungs up with air and then expelling it.

“Good, good and see here comes Bruce with the stuff for your sprain.” Steve shifted to the side so that Bruce could kneel down in front of me.

“Hey there Kelly. Can I take a look at that ankle?” Bruce’s voice was kind. 

I nodded jerkily. I was cool with him looking. As long as he didn’t touch me it would be fine. I moved my leg forward so he could see.

“Umm, it’s a little hard for me to see with your sock on. Can you take it off for me?”

“Yea,” I said and gently removed the sock from around my ankle that was throbbing and pulled it off my foot. I whimpered at the discomfort but re-extended my leg forward for the two men to look at. 

“May I lift your leg?” Steve asked that time. 

I didn’t really want him to touch me again. I would have preferred it to be Bruce but I guess I really didn’t have a choice one way or another. I nodded my head in agreement and allowed Steve to gently slide his hands under my calf and carefully lift it. I shuddered at the unfamiliar feeling of touch; It wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t my cup of tea either. 

Steve must have noticed because he apologized: “Sorry, it is painful?”

I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t hurt. I just don’t like touch.”

Steve looked at me for a second with an odd expression on his face that I couldn’t identify.

“You remind me of a friend of mine. I think you two would get along really well.” He said.

I heard a snort from across the room and saw Tony watching us

“If you’re talking about Tinman, I can’t see him getting along with anybody that isn’t you,” Tony said.

I frowned at this new turn in the conversation, then jerked back my leg in shock when something brushed my toes. 

“Sorry” Bruce quickly said, as I looked at him, “I didn’t mean to startle you, I was just trying to move your pant leg up a little to get a better look at the ankle.”

When I pulled my foot away from the unfamiliar touch I had also managed to yank my leg out of Steve’s light hold. The one mistake I made in my haste was I flexed my ankle causing a flare of pain to shoot up my leg. 

I bit my bottom lip to keep from crying out in front of these people. I already felt vulnerable enough without showing how much pain I was in.

“Can you let me look one last time? I promise this time neither Steve or I will touch you.”

“Ok, one more time, but that’s it,” I warned nervously. I extended my leg slowly forward for them to see. 

“Well, it’s definitely a sprain. It doesn’t look too bad, just need to RICE.”

Steve nodded in agreement but I was confused. 

“What do you mean rice I don’t need rice.”

“No, not the food. It’s an acronym for rest, ice, compress, and elevate.” Steve had spoken up smiling.

“Oh” that made sense I guess. I could do that.

“Can I wrap your ankle?” Bruce asked.

I shook my head 

“I can wrap my own ankle.” I drew it back towards me and covered it with my hands to further protect it.

BANG!!!! The door was flung open and hit the back wall making me jump and curl in on myself, further protecting my injured ankle and hiding my face.

I watched behind my eyelashes as Clint and Steve turned to face the door, getting into defensive poses. 

A man with dark hair that fell into his eyes and a rough beard covering his face came barreling into the room. 

His face scared me. He looked like an ax murderer. I never believed ax murderers existed but if he existed then they did too because he had to be one. 

“Hey punk, you done or what?” The man’s voice was gruff and rumbled. 

I shivered. It felt like his voice went right through me, and did things to my body that I had never felt before. It caused my chest to tighten, and my stomach to clench. I didn’t like it. 

“Almost Buck, we just need to wrap Ms. Dunce’s sprain and then we can go.” Steve had spoken up. I flicked my eyes to him. He was smiling and looking….relaxed?! What the fuck was his problem? Didn’t he know that was an ax murderer? 

I shrunk down and averted my eyes, hoping he wouldn’t notice me. There were way too many people in this room. I needed to leave now. Even if this wasn’t a hallucination I needed to be somewhere quiet, where I wasn’t surrounded so I could reassess.

I buried my head in my knees and tried to look small, but it must not have worked because there was suddenly a body right in front of me. I kept as still as possible, not sure if it was Steve or Bruce, or someone else. All I knew is that I didn’t want them there and wasn’t sure how else to get rid of them.

A hand touched my head and I flinched. The hand immediately backed off, but I could feel it hovering above me. The room had gone dead quiet, I waited for a breath, then peaked up through my hair. It was the ax murderer, except he didn’t look like an ax murderer anymore. Well not exactly, he still had the dark hair and scruffy beard. But his eyes were a startling blue and they looked…...kind? I had never looked at eyes and thought they were kind before. Eyes were just eyes to me. They were optical lenses that the human body used to see things. They didn’t have emotions they could express like kindness or anger. Eyes weren’t cold or warm, they were just eyes. But his were different. I could stare at them for hours and not get bored. I blinked and he was gone. I don’t know how it was possible but one second he was so close our noses were practically touching and the next he had vanished like a ghost. 

The only reason I knew I hadn’t dreamed him up was that everyone was silently staring at me. I looked at them all thoroughly confused. Who was that man? Why was he here? What had just happened? And why was everyone looking at me and not talking? 

I mentally shook myself. Those weren’t questions I could answer so I’ll ignore them. Instead, I should focus on what I could do, which was wrap my ankle. 

I reached up and took the bandages from Bruce’s slack grip and slowly started to wrap my ankle while the room remained awkwardly silent. 

“What the fuck just happened?” That was Tony. I looked up to see who he was talking to. He was looking at Steve. 

Steve sort of shrugged then shook his head looking confused. This face reading was getting easier by the minute. 

“Can I be alone, now?” I asked hesitantly, not sure if they would let me. 

“Oh ummm yea, I’m sure we can work something out, and get you a room, right Tony?” Bruce said, giving me his full attention. 

“Yea, yea. FRIDAY?” Tony said.

I was confused why would Tony be giving me a room on Friday? It was Sunday. Friday was six days away. I wasn’t sure I could wait that long, and Bruce sounded like this was something that could be done now, not in six days. 

“Of course, sir.” A disembodied female voice spoke from somewhere. I gasped and looked around for where the voice was coming from. This was all too much. I wanted to be home, in my nice warm bed with my favorite pillow and blanket curled up watching Netflix as I lazily drifted off to sleep. I wanted to feel safe. 

My eyes pricked, which never happened. I touched the wetness on my cheek shocked as I saw a teardrop on my forefinger. I felt more tears stream down my cheeks and fall from my face onto my knees. I couldn’t figure out why I was crying. I was in a little bit of pain from the ankle, but not enough to make me cry. And I wasn’t feeling sad, just overwhelmed. So why were there teardrops causing my pants to become so wet? I was a silent crier for the most part. I didn’t sniffle or hyperventilate, I just got puffy eyes and tears. 

“Kelly, are you ok?” Steve asked me and reached out to touch me but stopped before he made contact. I was glad he did, I think if he had touched me I would have panicked again.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. I had never experienced anything like this. This feeling of being overwhelmed and out of control, when I was so careful. I never left my apartment unless I absolutely had to. I ordered everything online, even groceries and made sure they got delivered directly to my door. 

I worked from home on my computer as a software engineer. I loved coding and creating new programs. It was all ones and zeros that I could maneuver and control however I saw fit. I maybe talked to one person a week, if that. 

But now, here I was. Thrust into this room of men, all complete strangers who not only wanted to talk to me but who also kept getting into my personal space and touching me. 

I looked up at them all and croaked: “I want to go home.”

Steve looked so sad at my words and said “I know you do. I’ve felt that way many times. Let me help you to your room.”

I nodded in agreement. I wanted any excuse to be alone with my own head. Steve reached a hand down to me and I oh so carefully reached my own hand out to his. Our fingers touched and then Steve was gently grabbing my hand and carefully pulling me to my feet. He didn’t even look to break a sweat. 

I mean I’m not overweight but I was expecting to see a little effort on his part, but he did it like I weighed as much as a feather. Once I was on my feet I tried to take a tentative step on my sprain and quickly discovered that was not going to work. I hissed in pain and hoped forward a few steps, having let go Steve’s hand. 

“It would be easier if one of carried you,” Steve said tentatively behind me.

I looked back at him over my shoulder, practically glaring. 

“No, thank you. I’ve had enough for one day, thank you very much.” I turned back around ignoring him and everyone else, as I hopped towards the door. I made it to the wall beside the door and rested my hands and forehead against it; trying desperately to catch my breath. Hopping was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. 

“I can probably dig up some crutches,” Tony spoke up from behind me. 

I shook my head stubbornly, I didn’t want to wait that long for them to find crutches. I just reached for the door handle, turned it and yanked the door open so I could hop out of it and get away from everyone. 

I managed to get out the door and five hops down the hallway before I leaned precariously against the wall having realized I had no idea where I was going. I sunk to the floor, much more clumsily then I would have liked to admit. No one had followed me out yet and I was glad of it. I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. I sighed a single deep breath, trying to clear my head from everything that had just happened in the last 20 minutes or so. It felt so good to be in solitude once more that I practically reveled in it, even though I was sitting on the floor of a hallway, in an unknown building, filled with strangers. I felt practically giddy with relief. 

However, that solitude was short lived. When I opened my eyes again I was staring into those blue eyes once more. I should have been surprised but I was too tired for that. I just blinked slowly at those eyes, attached to a rough face with shaggy dark hair. 

“You look a little worse for wear doll face.” He rumbled.

“I’m fine, and I don’t have a doll face,” I responded tiredly. 

“I beg to differ, your face is like a doll’s.”

I rolled my eyes thoroughly irritated with the world. I sighed and closed my eyes, then maybe he would go away and I could just lean here with my eyes closed and die like I wanted to. Instead, I felt him shift. It was weird that I didn’t hear him, just felt him as he settled next to me on my left-hand side, leaning his back against the wall, our shoulders almost touching. 

I peeked over at him under my lashes. His head was leaned back against the wall and his eyes were closed. He had is right forearm propped up on his right knee that was bent up with his right foot anchored solidly on the ground. He looked…..peaceful.

That ax murderer energy that I had felt when I first met him was nowhere in sight. I wanted to be annoyed at him for invading my space like he was, but again I was too tired for that level of emotion so I just rested my head back against the wall and closed my eyes again. 

“So what were you doing in Tony’s lab?” The question surprised me and I opened my eyes to look over at him, but he hadn’t moved from his position, not even to open his eyes. 

I thought about not answering, but I really didn’t have anything to lose, and this may be an opportunity for me to gain answers. 

“I don’t know.” I finally answered.” One minute I was at home on my couch staring at a pill bottle and a glass of water that I was thinking about taking and the next minute I know I’m lying on the floor of that room” I gestured vaguely in the direction of said room “and there were three men standing around me.”

“That’s an interesting way to end up in Avengers Tower.” He commented after a moment of silence.

“What’s Avengers Tower?” I asked, curious despite myself. 

“Where the Avengers live. You know the superheroes like Iron man, Captain America and such.” His intonation hadn’t changed, which I appreciated. It made him easier for me to read. He just said what he meant, there was nothing I had to try and decode. Too bad he was also crazy.

“Superheroes aren’t real, they are fictional,” I told him, trying to point out some logic.

“The how do you explain the aliens invading New York, and the Avengers stopping it?” He countered.

I lifted my head up and stared at him. I was growing more and more concerned for his sanity.

“Aliens never invaded New York,” I spoke slowly, to make sure he heard me correctly. 

His eyes opened at that, and he looked sideways at me. “Yes, they did Doll Face. I may not have been there, but I saw the footage and the aftermath of Damage. Hell, I think they are still rebuilding over on 5th where one of those giant flying monsters crushed some office buildings.”

“Are you insane?” I asked. “What are you talking about? This never happened.” I started thinking because the name Avengers didn’t really sound all that familiar but the name Iron Man did. Didn’t a movie come out with that title some years ago….

I didn’t watch movies, I had seen a few as a child, but they never held my interest. They weren’t factual, and their only purpose was entertainment, which was a waste of my time. It was the same with reading fiction books or watching fictional shows. I liked documentaries and things like that because they were full of factual knowledge. Though I preferred textbooks, due to the fact that they do not portray the information in such fantastical ways like most documentaries nowadays. 

He must be delusional then if he thought that movies were not fictional, but fact. I felt sorry for him, he couldn’t grasp the essential difference between reality and fantasy like I could.

“My level of sanity is….debatable, but I’m not lying to you. Aliens invaded New York through a portal that another Alien created.” He looked so earnest that I wanted to believe him which was just plain stupid. He was obviously crazy. I breathed deeply trying to get my bearings.

“I know you believe that this supposed invasion occurred, but I’m telling you that it factually did not happen. Intelligent life has not been proven to exist outside of Earth. Those are the facts.”

He turned his head so it was still resting against the wall but he now faced me, giving me his full attention. “Are you sure you’re not the crazy one Doll Face? Thor is an alien, you’ve heard of Thor right?”

“Who?” I asked becoming more and more certain by the moment that this man needed to be put in a mental hospital or something. 

“You know the Norse God that can fly using his hammer and can control the weather.”

“I think you need to get help with the delusions you believe to be real, because I’m telling you they aren’t. There are no gods, or aliens, or superheroes, or crazy invasions of New York by aliens. Those are things of the movies, they are fiction. Make-believe, fantasy, aka not real.” I turned my whole body towards him in my earnestness to convey to him just how worried I was about his mental health. 

He looked at the earnestness on my face then looked down at his left hand and arm. I looked at it too, confused. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt and one glove on his left hand. 

“If what you’re saying is true then how do you explain this?” He asked as he pulled of his one glove revealing a metal hand. I looked down at it surprised. It looked like a flesh hand that had been painted to look metal. I could see the movement of joints and tendons underneath as he flexed his fingers in front of me. I reached out to touch it unthinking, I wanted to prove to myself that it was a flesh hand that had been painted.

My fingers unexpectedly touched cool metal. That couldn’t be right. I grabbed the metal hand with both of my own pulling it towards me so I could scrutinize it more closely. It felt like metal, looked like metal, even smelled like metal, but that couldn’t be right. I looked to see where the metal hand conjoined to his body but there was a metal wrist. I pushed up the sleeve of the shirt so I could see where it ended. I was confronted with more metal all the way up to the crook of his elbow. This couldn’t be real. It wasn’t possible but here it was, in my hands. 

I tried bending the metal fingers, twisting the wrist and it all smoothly moved, as if it was skin. Skin made of metal. I looked up at his face, He was watching me with a quirk of a smile on his lips at my perusal. 

“How?” I croaked, then cleared my throat, “How is this possible? This isn’t factual, it can’t….I mean this doesn’t exis…I don’t.” I paused my babbling, took a deep breath and solemnly asked: “Are you a robot?”

He burst out laughing at the question. I dropped his metal hand and crossed my arms over my chest feeling very affronted. Why the hell was he laughing? I was just trying to gather factual information. It wasn’t funny.

“Oh, Doll Face don’t worry, except for this arm I’m all man.” He chuckled. 

“Where does it end?” 

“At my shoulder.” He pulled back the collar of his shirt to show me where the metal finally met flesh. I looked and winced at the amount of scar tissue that I saw. The scars looked painful and red like they were infected but I could tell that the injury was old. I tentatively lifted a hand wanting to touch it so I could confirm that what I was seeing was indeed real but I stopped myself. 

I never touched anyone willingly, unless I absolutely had to. And I couldn’t invade his space like that. I was barely a foot away from him, I backed up fast to give us both some air. I looked at his face and saw him grimace. 

“I know it looks…….bad.” He moved the shirt back in place and pulled both his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them like I did when I was uncomfortable. I tried to think of something to say to make this social situation not so….so bad, but I couldn’t think of anything so I just looked away trying to ignore it. 

I heard a door open and whipped my head around to see Bruce poking his head out and looking at us. 

“We figured you needed a minute, umm would you like me to show you to your room?” He asked not moving from the door. 

I nodded gratefully. When I had moved away from the man with the metal arm I had put my back against the wall again. I used the wall to help push myself up and on to my good ankle. The metal arm man stayed where he was not looking at either of us. 

“Lead the way,” I told Bruce. He walked forward and I started to Hop after him. I made it two hops before a hand grabbed my shoulder. I squeaked in surprise, and almost fell over in my haste to whip around and see who had grabbed me. It was metal arm man. 

He didn’t say anything just bent and put his metal arm under my knees and his flesh arm around my shoulders then picked me up with ease. I froze in his arms, unsure what I should do. Part of me wanted to shout at me for touching me without m permission. Another part of me was scared of his strength. He held me with ease and had lifted me without even a grunt of effort. He cradled me like I had seen heroes do for their damsels in distress in movies when I was little. 

I also really really really didn’t want to be dropped. So I stayed as still as possible so as not to jostle him and cause me to fall to the floor. He didn’t drop me though, he just followed Bruce down the hall to an elevator. Both men got in with me still being carried. I looked over at Bruce but I couldn’t read his facial expression. It was one of those complex ones that are hard for me to read. They look like multiple recognizable facial expression all mushed into one that I was unable to decipher. 

The elevator ride seemed to take forever. This was of course factually impossible. However, my brain’s perception of time altered when I was in uncomfortable social situations. That was it! My brain must be perceiving the world differently than it actually was. That was the only way to explain all of this. This must be an extremely detailed hallucination that I was not only hearing and seeing but feeling and smelling. The question that remained was why I was having it. Had I fallen asleep and this was all a dream? No, that couldn’t be the case because I didn’t remember falling asleep. But I didn’t really have another explanation. 

The elevator dinged, and both men got out and walked down the hall. I was still frozen. Bruce opened the door for metal arm man, so he could walk in without having to worry about putting me down. 

I looked around the room that I had been carried into curiously. I looked like an apartment with an open floor plan. There was a family room complete with TV and large couch on one side of the room. On the other was a full kitchen with an island that separated it from the family room. There were a few doors leading off of it. Metal arm man headed for one of those doors and shoved it open with his shoulder. It wasn’t latched luckily. The first thing I saw in the room was a large bed, stacked high with pillows. Metal arm man made a beeline for it and set me down gently on top of it. 

I curled away from him and scooched up the bed so my back was resting against the pillows and I was able to wrap my arms around my knees that I had drawn up to my chest. He just stood there watching me.

“Can I be alone now?” I mumbled into my arms. 

He didn’t respond just turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. I curled up on my side in the fetal position. I grabbed one of the pillows out of the pillow mountain that I could hug to my chest. I closed my eyes and hoped that when I opened my eyes again I would be waking up in my own bed in my own apartment. Or better yet I wouldn’t wake up at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kelly discovers that she is in another dimension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE COMMENTS, I love hearing from the people that read my stuff, it helps me to determine what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong, so please tell me what you think.  
> KUDOS, BOOKMARKS, and HITS are also greatly appreciated.  
> Any trigger warnings will be at the bottom so as no to spoil.  
> Don't like, don't read.  
> The only things I own are Kelly, the plot, and all my mistakes

Awareness slowly crept back to me. My first thoughts were those of disappointment. My goal of never waking up again didn’t come true, but maybe my second goal of waking up in my own bed would. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked at the dark windows. When I had fallen asleep it had been late afternoon, but now the sky was pitch black and I could see the lights of the city shining through.

I uncurled myself around the pillow I was hugging for dear life and slowly stretched. My ankle twinged uncomfortably but it wasn’t too bad so I ignored the pain and focused on my view of the city. I was higher up then I thought I was. I moved towards the windows across the bed and put both my feet on the floor. I was careful how much pressure I put on the sprain as I limped the two steps to the window.

I leaned my forehead against the cool window and placed both my palms against the glass. I stared down at the street far below me. I watched as cars drove past the building and people walked along the sidewalk, looking like ants below me. For all my antisocial tendencies, I did enjoy people watching. It was fun to be able to see them go about their day and interact with each other. I didn’t understand it, but as an observer, I felt like I could be a part of it but still be safe.

I was in control when I was an observer. As a participant I gave up control to the others around me, it made me vulnerable. I closed my eyes and took two deep soothing breathes. My stomach growled reminding me it had been a while since I had sought sustenance. I limp-hopped over to the door of the bedroom. I carefully opened it and peaked my head out to see if I was truly alone.

The family room and kitchen appeared to be empty. I blew out a breath in relief and hopped towards the fridge to see if I could find some food. However, I didn’t make it that far. I’m not really sure what happened, but one second I was hopping up right and the next I was on the ground clutching my ankle in pain.

I had tripped and tried to catch myself on my bad ankle causing me to collapse in pain. I whimpered as I held the ankle.

I heard the door crash against the wall and then two men were kneeling beside me, their hands hovering over me. I looked up to see Steve on one side of me and metal arm man on the other side. I groaned and rested my head back on the floor.

Why was it that every time I thought I was finally alone and had my own space, another strange human showed up?

“Are you in pain? Kelly are you ok? What can we do?” Steve sounded almost frantic.

“I’m fine, I just tripped,” I said as I gingerly sat up. Both men backed up and gave me a little bit more space, but not as much as I wanted.

“FRIDAY told us you fell and that it was bad.” Metal arm man spoke up.

“And I’m telling you that I’m fine.” I practically growled at both of them.

“You don’t look fine” Metal arm man countered.

“Look whoever you are, I am tired of having you constantly butting your head in where it isn’t wanted.” I snapped.

Steve snorted out a laugh, I turned my head to glare at him.

“And you’re almost as bad.” I was shouting by this point. If it had been any other day, in any other place, at any other time I never would have snapped. Shouted or yelled. I didn’t usually get mad, and when I did I ignored it and focused on other things. But I was so fed up with all of this that I couldn’t keep it inside.

“Now if you will both leave me the fuck alone!” I yelled. My face felt hot and flushed. And my eyes were close to tears again, which just made me even angrier.

I was angry at these people who wouldn’t leave me alone and I was angry at myself for allowing myself to lose control. I was angry about this whole situation, and there was no way out of it. My breathing had gotten harsher. Actually, it was getting difficult to get in air. Why was it suddenly so hard to breathe?

“Hey, Doll Face. Hey. You gotta calm down.” I felt arms wrapping around me pulling me back against someone. I could see Steve crouched in front of me so metal arm guy must be the one holding me.

“Bucky is right, if you don’t get your breathing under control you’re going to have another panic attack or worse, pass out on us,” Steve said. So Metal arm guy’s name was Bucky, that was good to know.

My breathing was hitching. “It wo..wou..would be..be.be ea..easier to breathe if I wasn’t being crushed.” I tried saying. Gasping for air and speaking was extremely difficult to do at the same time.

“I’m definitely not crushing you Doll Face. Hasn’t anyone ever cuddled you before?” Bucky said chuckling. As he started rubbing circles on the top of my chest. He was above my breasts and in the center on my sternum. 

“No. I don’t cuddle.” I snapped back. I was irritated that it was getting easier to breathe with Bucky’s ministrations. His hand moving in slow circles was grounding and helped me think of that rather than how out of control I was feeling. 

“Could’ve fooled me. Are you hungry, Doll Face?” Bucky spoke. His head was close to mine and I could feel his breath on my right ear. It wasn’t uncomfortable per se but it was definitely a weird feeling, almost ticklish. 

I bent my head and rubbed my shoulder against the ear that Bucky had breathed on trying to get rid of the feeling. 

“Yea I could use sustenance,” I responded after I had rubbed most of the feeling off. 

“Alright watcha hungry for then?” Steve asked,

I shrugged, I wasn’t sure what they had, and to be completely honest I never understood the obsession with certain foods. I just made sure I had a balanced diet and that was about it. Food was for nourishment and that was about it. 

“What about some eggs then?” Steve asked. 

Bucky chuckled again. “Yea, because that’s about all you can make.”

“Well, you’re not much better.” Steve snapped back.

“But I am better,” Bucky replied. 

Steve rolled his eyes and got up from his crouch. He walked over to the kitchen and started rummaging around in the fridge. Bucky was still sitting on the floor holding me in his arms, with me leaning against him and his hand still rubbing my sternum.

“You know you can stop doing that. My breathing is normal again.” I told Bucky. 

“But I like doing it. Is it uncomfortable?” He asked.

I shrugged, it wasn’t uncomfortable as much as just unusual, and very different. No one did this sort of thing. I was expecting it to be over stimulating but instead, it was…..soothing. My body was relaxing back into Bucky without me even thinking about it. I found that he was actually supporting most of my weight. 

“Eggs are almost ready. Do you think you can move to the table Kelly?” Steve asked.

“Yes,” I replied and went to lift myself off of Bucky. Bucky’s arms had tightened keeping me in place.

“I don’t think you should move until you have eaten something. It will help get rid of remaining stuff from the panic attack earlier.” Bucky explained. 

“That’s not your decision to make. Now let me go.” I pushed at his arms and he let me go. However he made sure to help pull me to my feet and guided me over to sit in a chair at the kitchen table. 

I shook his hand off my shoulder. Bucky’s touch might not have been overstimulating but all this social interaction was. I wanted to go home. A plate of scrambled eggs was placed in front of me with a fork and a glass of water. I took a tentative sip from the glass and then reached for the fork. I started eating, but it was awkward with both men watching me. 

“Ummm can you two leave? I’m fine now.” I asked tentatively.

“What you tired of us already doll face?” Bucky teased. 

“I want to be alone,” I replied.

“Alright, we will leave you be, right Bucky?” Steve said.

Bucky grumbled a little but followed Steve out of the apartment. I breathed a sigh of relief after they had left. It was nice being able to eat in peace. Once I had finished, I noticed that I could really use a bathroom. I hopped my way back to the bedroom and maneuvered my way to the master bathroom. I pushed open the door and closed it behind me so I could use the necessary. 

Once I had taken care of my bodily functions I stopped to look at myself in the mirror. My reflection stared back at me. My mind flicked back to that comment Bucky had made. He had said I looked like a doll. 

I examined myself objectively. I stood at just barely five feet tall. So I was short. I had dark brown, almost black wavy hair that fell to mid back. I preferred it shorter but it was just too much energy to go get it cut on a regular basis. My almond shaped eyes were nice with my hazel eyes. They matched my pert nose and bow shaped lips. It all blended well with my olive toned skin which I got from my mother’s Italian roots.

I had never thought much about what it meant to be beautiful or not. I was just me. I hadn’t paid any attention to male and female interactions in high school, I was far too busy studying and learning all I could about computers. Plus all of those social nuances that I never seemed to be able to pick up on made the whole thing very confusing and not worth my time to try and decipher.

Now it seemed I would have to start deciphering social codes since I was currently stuck in a building with a bunch of deranged people. Or maybe it was me going insane. Bucky’s metal hand had felt and looked so real, and I hadn’t been able to wake up from a dream, so maybe this was my new reality… I shook my head this was all way too much to try and get through all at once.

The first step was figuring out how to get home, then I’d deal with everything else. I splashed water across my face, trying to get rid of any remnants of stress or anxiety. I needed to be able to think with a clear head, not an emotional one. 

I needed access to a computer so I could figure out where the hell I was and figure out if I was really going insane. All of this meant I needed to find a human so I could get access to all of that. Ugh. 

I also needed some way to get around without requiring me to hop everywhere. It was exhausting and my energy could be put to much better use. The food was helping me get back my energy and made it a lot easier to think. 

I was also pretty tired of walking around in my PJs. I was just wearing a thin camisole and a soft pair of PJ pants and some fuzzy socks. That was not a lot and I was feeling rather naked without a bra.

So I had my list of goals. 

1) find some form of clothing to cover my chest  
2) Find some way to get around by using less energy.  
3) Get access to a computer.  
4) Start researching  
5) Go home. 

It seemed simple enough. I started with clothing. I hopped carefully out of the bathroom and looked around the bedroom for a dresser or a closet. There was a possibility they would be empty but there was also the possibility there could be clothing in them. I spotted a closet. YES!! I made my way over to it awkwardly. 

Opened it up but was disappointed when I discovered it completely empty. Just my luck. Nothing was going right today, was it. I checked the room for any sort of dresser or wardrobe but there was none. Except for the bed, the nightstand and a mirror, the room was barren. 

Maybe I could find something in a coat closet out in the main room or something. I was tired from just hopping to the closet, but I was determined. I had a list with a specific goal in mind and come hell or high water I was going to stick to it.

It was definitely an effort but I made it into the main room and looked around for a possible coat closet or anything else that I could look into. I spotted what appeared to be a closet by the front door. My only problem was how far away it was. I solved my problem by using furniture to help support me on my way. That seemed to work pretty well. I opened it but again was disappointed to find it entirely empty. I sagged against the wall feeling defeated. It looks like I would have to add a step to my list. 

I was loathed to experience more social interaction but it looked like I didn’t have a choice. I cracked the front door open and peaked my head out. I didn’t see anyone in the hallway. Damnit. I was so hoping I could get this over with quickly and not have to go looking for someone. 

I sighed and made my way out of the room and partway down the hall before I ran into a pretty big conundrum. I had no idea where I was and I had no idea where to find anything that I needed or how to find a human to help me. I was stuck. I slid down the wall I was using to support myself and just sat there, staring at the floor between my legs. 

I was screwed. I had no idea what the hell to do, but also really didn’t want anyone to come find me either. I felt so lost and confused. The logical side of my brain left me and my emotional self took over. Would I ever feel in control ever again?

My eyes weren’t focusing I was so in my head. I was startled out of it when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see a woman with blazing red hair crouching next to me with kind eyes. 

“Hey, you look a little lost. Can I help?” Her voice was soft and kind too. 

I smiled in relief. “Yea, actually do you have a sweatshirt or something I could put on to cover up a bit more? These are the only clothes I have right now and I’m feeling a little exposed.” I said.

“Oh wow, that must suck, yea. Hold on. Give me five minutes. Stay put ok?” She responded getting up from her crouched position and heading down the hall towards an elevator. 

I watched her go, gratefully. At last, someone who could help me. 

“Doll Face?”

I jumped at the sound of a masculine voice coming from the other direction. I turned and saw Bucky coming towards me with a worried look on his face. I pulled my knees up to my chest trying to make myself look smaller. 

“Hey, you ok?” Bucky crouched down beside me where the lady had been.

“I’m fine,” I responded. Bucky intimidated me. Well, it wasn’t just Bucky, all the men did. It was easier to deal with him when I had at least some control over the situation or wasn’t thinking so much. 

“Sooo what are you doing, on the floor, in the hallway?” he asked.

“I’m waiting.”

“Waiting for what?”

“I’m waiting for someone to return with a sweatshirt or some other way to cover myself.”

A pause. “Why?”

“I…..I just feel.” I hesitated. “I feel a little exposed is all.”

Another pause. “Oh. Uhhh. Here.” 

Bucky thrust something into my face. I looked down and saw the grey fabric of his shirt. I looked up and saw him still crouched there, shirtless. He wasn’t looking at me. Instead, he was staring at the wall opposite us. I tentatively reached out and took the shirt from him with trembling fingers. I quickly pulled the garment over my head and stuck my arms in the sleeves. I felt like a child in his shirt. The sleeves fell down past my fingertips by a good four to five inches. The shirt itself fell past my thighs and almost hit my knees. 

Our height difference became very evident to me at that moment. He had to be a whole foot taller than me at the least. He was also broad and muscular. The shoulders of the shirt itself fell almost to my elbows. If he wanted to, he could crush me with one hand, metal or not. 

“Thanks,” I mumbled. 

“You’re welcome.” He replied. 

We didn’t look at each other just sat there together. This felt a lot like the first time we had talked. Maybe I could ask him for some of the other things I needed….

“Ummm, Bucky?” I asked tentatively.

“Yea?”

“I was also wondering if I could borrow something to help me get around. Like some crutches or something.” I asked, blushing a little. I hated asking for things or needing help. 

“Well, it’s a good thing that I was actually coming to look for you. I just talked to Bruce and he told me crutches will be delivered to your room in the next hour or two.”

“Thanks a lot.” I tucked my hair behind my ear smiling a little. Bucky may be intimidating, but he was also pretty nice. 

The elevator dinged and I looked up to see the redhead coming towards us holding what looked like a sweatshirt. She stopped in front of us and put a hand on her hip.

“Well, it looks like you didn’t need this sweatshirt after all. But Bucky might. Haven’t we talked about having clothes on when you walk around the tower?”

I looked over at Bucky, he looked to be flushing a little. 

“Hi, I’m Natasha, I don’t think we had the chance to introduce ourselves.”

The woman stretched out her hand to me and I tentatively reached forward and shook it.

“So what brings you to the tower in just your PJs?” She asked sitting down on the other side of me. 

I felt a little claustrophobic being surrounded by people on both sides, but then again they had both been really nice and helpful. I thought about asking about a computer but instead, I asked:

“Am I really crazy?” 

“Why would you say that?” Natasha asked.

“Well, Bucky’s arm shouldn’t be real but it is. Superheroes don’t exist, but…. I just don’t understand.” I finished lamely.

“Well, would it help to see more proof?” Natasha asked carefully.

“Like what?” I said.

“Well…. I know the Cap and Stark are working on new maneuvers down in the training room before dinner, how about that? What do you think Bucky, will that be convincing enough?” Natasha said.

Bucky chuckled and responded: “Yea I think that would be eye-opening enough.”

Natasha stood as did Bucky. Bucky reached a hand down, offering it to me. I tentatively placed my fingers in his hand and he carefully pulled me to my feet. Before I could blink, Bucky swept me off my feet and started carrying me yet again.

“Really?!” I grumbled. “I’m perfectly capable of getting there under my own power, thank you very much.”

“Yea, but it would take awhile Doll Face, and I don’t feel like waiting that long.” Bucky replied stepping into the elevator after Natasha.

“Sooooooo any particular reason she can’t walk on her own Bucky?” Natasha asked as the elevator started going downward. 

“She has a sprained ankle, Nat.” Bucky replied.

“Oh, well then, of course, she needs to be carried everywhere.” Natasha shot back.

I just crossed my arms over my chest and held still. I wasn’t about to argue with a muscle-bound giant. I did have some sense of self-preservation. Especially for someone with a death wish. I guess I just didn’t want to die by someone else’s hands. I wanted to have control over that.

The elevator dinged and opened. The first thing that registered was the sounds. It sounded like something hitting metal, blasts echoing, and other indistinguishable noises of confrontation. All that I could really tell was that it was loud and extremely disconcerting. I curled into Bucky without thinking. He was big and held me, so my subconscious brain immediately jumped to the conclusion that he would protect me. 

My subconscious brain was at least somewhat correct, his arms tightened around me and pulled me closer to himself. My head was tucked safely in the crook of his shoulder of his flesh arm. I could smell the scent of his skin. It was spicy with sandalwood and something that was distinctly all male. 

Bucky started moving underneath me. I peeked my head up and found myself in a room that looked like a warehouse. There was something flying around and shooting things at a man dressed in uniform, with a circular shield on the ground. I watched fascinated, as the man threw the shield into the air with inhuman speed, knocking whatever was flying around into a wall. When the flying object stilled I was able to see that it looked like a metal man.

Natasha made a piercing whistle sound with her lips that caught the attention of both the man on the floor and the robot. The man walked over after grabbing the flying saucer shield out of the air and the robot followed close behind landing beside the man in uniform right in front of Bucky, Natasha, and I. 

I looked up carefully and my eyes widened in surprise. Steve was the man in uniform. He looked different with his face sweat soaked and his body covered in some form of suit. The odd thing was that I recognized it. I had seen it, and this man on posters a few years ago. But that was for some movie or something. I couldn’t remember what it was called but they were everywhere on the internet. I even remembered seeing some trailers. If only I could remember……..

I was startled again to here clanking as the robot came over then flipped their visor up. I looked to see it was Tony. Again I felt a strange feeling of recognition. On closer inspection of what I now determined to be a suit was red and gold in color. It looked so familiar. So familiar in fact that without thinking about it I reached out and touched it. The outside was definitely made of metal, but I couldn’t tell what kind. Why did this all feel so familiar?

Wait! The movie posters of…. Ugh, what movie was it called again? There were a few of them…..umm. Iron man!!! That was what the movie was called. 

“Iron man.” I murmured.

“Uh yeah, that’s me. I thought you knew that though.” Tony answered chuckling awkwardly. 

“But you're a character,” I said feeling really confused.

“What do you mean?” Steve asked sharply. I looked up at him. He had a hard look on his face and I shrunk back into Bucky. 

“I mean you, both of you are movie characters. There were movies of you guys released a few years ago.”

There was a long awkward silence. Then Tony started laughing. We all looked at him. His laughing had taken a maniacal turn and it was definitely making me uncomfortable if no one else. 

“Hahaha, I did it! I actually did it! She’s from a different universe. Oh my God, I can’t believe it. Hahaha.” He rambled off into gasping chuckles.

I became rigid in Bucky’s arms. My breathing quickened. If Tony was right then….. Oh my god no. he couldn’t be right. I pushed at Bucky hard, shoving myself out of his arms and tumbling onto the floor. I crawled away from them all as fast as I could finding the nearest wall. I ended up next to the elevator. I curled up on my side on the ground, uncaring that I was on the floor. I put the wall to my back and wrapped my arms around my knees pulling them to my chest. I rocked myself as best as I could and tried to breathe. 

I could vaguely hear voices in the distance but it wasn’t important. All that was important was that this wasn’t a dream. This wasn’t a hallucination, and I probably wasn’t going crazy. Instead, I was in a completely different universe where there were superheroes, that in my world were in movies, that I knew practically nothing about. I was in a fucking different dimension.

Fuck.

Fuck,

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

No, I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t be here. 

Fuck.

Fuck.

FUCK.

FUCK.

FUCK.

FUCK!

FUCK!

FUCK!!!!!!!!!

No.

No.

No. 

No.

This wasn’t happening, it was all a dream. I would wake up any second. But I knew it wasn’t a dream I was in a fucking different god damn fucking dimension.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit. 

Shit.

Shit.

Ok, Ok maybe if I just tried breathing, maybe just focus on that. Wait am I moving? No, I’m not moving my limbs but I’m definitely being moved. Holy Fuck I’m being carried by someone from a whole nother fucking dimensions. This was crazy, no INSANE.

How was this even possible? Why me? Why not anyone else who might even enjoy this? Not me, I was fucking terrified from stage one.

Wait! 

If I was in a different dimension, then someone must have brought me here, meaning that someone could send me back. Yea.

Awareness started coming back when something was placed over my nose and mouth. I grabbed it and tried to pull it away but a hand stopped me and I heard someone talking. I couldn’t figure out what they were saying but I assumed it had something to do with the object over my mouth and nose, and them wanting me to leave it on. I stopped trying to pull it off and concentrated more on what I was hearing. 

Voices. More than one. Ok one of them was Bucky, he was easy to recognize, another sounded like Natasha. And one more…...it was definitely familiar. Was that Bruce? Ugh, I couldn’t be sure without confirming visually. 

Now to determine what they were saying……

“-n get her out of it?”

“Is her breathing becoming more normal?”

“Do you think she can hear us?”

I shifted my body trying to figure out where I was. I was being held…. But it felt like the person was sitting, not standing. I could feel legs underneath me, and a bare chest. Bucky.

I lifted my hand and touched his skin next to my cheek. It felt like his chest. I could hear his heart beating strongly under my ear. It was a soothing sound to listen to while I tried to bring myself back to reality. 

“Kelly? Kelly, can you hear me?” That was Natasha speaking.

I nodded my head in response.

“Good, we lost you there for a bit. You had a pretty bad panic attack. Alright, I’m going to ask you a few yes or no questions. You can just nod or shake your head ok?” 

Natasha’s voice was soothing and calm, like the beat of Bucky’s heart. I nodded. 

“Good. Do you know who I am?”

I nodded. 

“Awesome, do you think you can talk?”

That one was a little harder but I knew how. It was simples mechanics, push air out through your vocal cords and move the lips and tongue to make sounds. I could do that.

“Yes,” I croaked out. Easy peasy.

“Great. Do you know who is holding you?”

“Bucky,” I replied, eyes still closed.

“Ok. Can you open your eyes?”

Hmmmmm, they hadn’t wanted to open before but now it didn’t seem so hard. I slowly opened them blinking.

“Great. Can you tell me what color the walls are?”

That was an odd question. I looked around the room, they were a light blue. I wonder how specific she wanted me to answer. I’d go specific just in case.

“They are a light cerulean blue.” I replied.

“Wonderful. Where were you born?”

That was such a benign question. I’d go specific again.

“I was born on March 15, 1993, at 2:35 pm, at 3671 Southwestern Blvd. Orchard Park, New York. Zip code 14127. Also known as Catholic Health - Mercy Ambulatory Care Center. Do you want to know how much I weighed?”

“Um no. That’s fine. You can go ahead and take off the oxygen mask now if you want.” 

I pulled it off my face gratefully. The thing was ridiculously uncomfortable. I looked around the room once again, before I had just been looking for the wall color, now I was able to catalog what was actually in the room. It looked like a hospital room. The same style of backlighting panels on the wall for x-rays, the quintessential corner sink and cabinets. Bucky was sitting on a hospital bed with me in his lap. Bruce was sitting on one of those rolling, and spinning stools and Natasha was standing by the bed. 

I pushed out of Bucky’s hold and moved my way awkwardly down the bed so I was sitting in my own space and not having to touch anyone. Not that I wasn’t grateful to Bucky, but I was tired of being pushed out of my comfort zone, and touching, let alone sitting in someone’s lap, was way outside of my comfort zone. 

Bucky moved his legs so I had more room. I nodded to him gratefully. And tucked my legs under me in a criss-cross applesauce position. I tugged on the giant shirt I was wearing so it covered as much of my legs as I could manage. 

“Kelly, do you want some water, or food, or anything?” Bruce asked using his legs to push the stool closer to the hospital bed. 

I shook my head. “I want to go home.” 

“Well after making sure you were ok, talking to Tony was the next thing on my todo list. I’m pretty sure we can get you home.” Bruce answered smiling.

“Ok.” My mind started processing, I needed a little bit more information so I could decide my next move. “How long?”

Bruce looked down and rubbed his neck instead of answering right away. I watched confused. It seemed like an easy question to answer so why wasn’t he answering it.

“I don’t really know, Kelly. I needed to talk to Tony. I’ll know probably first thing tomorrow morning.” He finally answered.

“Oh, ok,” I responded unsure what else to say or do. I was stuck here for at least 24 hours, 8 of which would be consumed by sleep. I could do this.

“Oh, good news I have some crutches for you.” Bruce piped up jumping up from the stool and hurrying out of the room. He was back before I could blink, carrying a pair of crutches. 

“Here.” He said as he handed them to me. I took them gratefully and tried them out. They were a little too high for me but with some minor adjustments with the help of Bruce, I was mobile again. 

It felt good to have at least a few things checked off my checklist. If I was stuck here for longer than 24 hours I would need to get access to a computer. With a computer, I could gather more information and truly assess my situation. 

I checked the clock in the room, it read 8:36 pm. I usually went to bed at 10:45 pm when I was home. I would need sustenance between then and now, other than that I was unsure how to spend my time. I usually had a schedule that I followed for the day. There was always something to do with my time, but here……. I wasn’t sure what I could do. I could always return to the room I was using and stare at a wall for the next two hours but that didn’t sound…..productive. I could kill myself, but how…… I could jump off the top of the building. What was the difference between killing myself in this dimension versus my own? That could be a good way to fill that time, then everything else wouldn’t matter. Good, I had a plan, actually a better plan than I had before. 

“Can someone point out the way to the elevator please?” I asked. All I had to do was ride it to the top, find the stairs and take the leap. I smiled to myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kelly has a panic attack and she plans to kill herself at the end of the chapter. don't worry she doesn't succeed.


End file.
